Coronavirus Information - we are open!

Durham Climbing Centre Coronavirus Contingency Plan

Updated 14/03/20

As the impact of COVID-19/Coronavirus continues to grow daily, the management at Durham Climbing Centre would like to reassure our customers that we are closely monitoring the advice from both the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the UK Government, and developing our procedures accordingly.

We pride ourselves on offering high quality facilities, coaching and care to our customers at all times. We are following advice from the World Health Organisation and doing all we can to make the centre as hygienic as possible in order to prevent the spread of the virus.

This includes -

• Providing hand wash and hand washing facilities in toilets and reception areas for our customers and staff - Because washing kills the virus on your hands and prevents the spread of COVID – 19 (WHO)
• Maintaining these hand washing and drying facilities – when the hand dryer broke in the ladies toilet on 11^th March this was replaced at the earliest opportunity.
• Providing additional guidance in these areas on proper handwashing techniques
• Providing NHS advice and information around the centre relating to the virus
• Providing ‘catch it, bin it, kill it posters around the centre’

Since my last Corona Virus Contingency Plan update on 10^th March shared on Facebook, and displayed around the centre, we have introduced further measures to minimise the spread of germs. We have asked our hard-working team to take extra care in some vital areas.

The team have increased daily cleaning around the centre and implemented a new daily sheet to more regularly clean and disinfect key customer contact points. This includes –

• Using antibacterial spray to clean and disinfect door handles, lockers, weights, children’s toys.
• Disinfected all of our children’s toys and placed some in storage temporarily
• Increased hand washing on children’s sessions
• Avoiding high fives, cuddles and shaking hands where possible on children’s sessions

The health and safety of our customers and staff is extremely important to our company and in addition to the steps we have taken we recommend everyone visiting the centre pays special attention to their own personal hygiene and refer to advice from the WHO.

For climbers this means –

• Washing hands before, during and after climbing – this is extremely important as washing kills the virus on your hands and prevents the spread of COVID – 19 (WHO)
• Wearing socks and shoes around the centre and avoiding going barefoot
• Wearing gloves if preferred
• Using tissues or catching coughs in clothing
• If you are suffering from respiratory illness symptoms or think you could be at risk, please follow NHS advise to call 111, self-isolate and please do not visit the centre.

We are monitoring the development of the virus daily and will further inform our customers of changes to our contingency plan if and when we receive further guidance from the government and relevant authorities.

Hayley McKenna

Director